The ἀγάπην of Early Christian Ethics and Religiousity: The Freemason Ideology Also

The ἀγάπην of Early Christian Ethics and Religiousity: The Freemason Ideology Also

 

Kerry A. Shirts, MM, 32°, RAM, CM, MM, RAM,

Ritualist, Education Officer Eagle Rock Lodge #19

Idaho Falls, Idaho

Orator of the Pocatello Valley Scottish Rite

December 11, 2010

 

The early Christian milieu as a Hellenized, Judaic, Christian culture has a high moral living standard which comes out in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers quite clearly. Clement of Rome, said by Christian tradition (Eusebius – Church History 3.4.15) was thought to be the companion of the Apostle Paul mentioned at Philippians 4:3. (see also The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, Bart Ehrman translator, Harvard University Press, reprint 2005: 21). Tertullian handed down the tradition that this Clement was the 2nd Bishop of Rome elected by St. Peter himself. Regardless of tradition, 1 Clement, as it is now called has a most important teaching which should resonate very well with Freemasons worldwide. Lets take a look.

 

In 1 Clement in the Apostolic Fathers we read:

 

33.1 Τί οὖν ποιήσωμεν, ἀδελφοί; ἀργήσωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθοποιΐας καὶ ἐγκαταλείπωμεν τὴν ἀγάπην; μηθαμῶς τοῦτο ἐάσαι ὁ δεσπότης ἐφʼ ἡμῖν γε γενηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ σπεύσωμεν μετὰ ἐκτενείας καὶ προθυμίας πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελεῖν.

 

33. “What then shall we do, brothers? Shall we idly abstain from doing good, and forsake love? May the Master never allow this to happen, at least to us; but let us hasten with earnestness and zeal to accomplish every good work. For the Creator and Master of the universe himself rejoices in his works.”

 

The Greek phrase Τί οὖν ποιήσωμεν, ἀδελφοί – What then shall we do, brothers?,  indicates action, something to accomplish. Ποιήσωμεν (poiesomen) is a behavior towards someone, or the assignment of a task. Produce a profit or fashion something. And the key to this is his statement of which I emphasize –  “let us hasten with earnestness and zeal to accomplish every good work.”It is an unflagging action and zeal for the good.

 

Clement shows the early Christian milieu of living courageously, rightfully, and being engaged in making the world and church, their community and country a better place to live for all. It is a poignant reminder of our duties as humans, citizens, and sons and daughters of God. The Greek word ἐκτενείας (ekteneias) is very powerfully elaborated on and discussed in Spicq, C., & Ernest, J. D. (1994). “Theological lexicon of the New Testament” (1:457-462). Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson. In essence it captures what Clement said – “let us hasten with earnestness and zeal to accomplish every good work.” What Spicq shows is the cultural milieu of early Christians mindset on how to live. His examples of the Hellenized Greek world the early Christians lived in is of high interest and very informative. It is the same mindset and philosophy we Freemasons promote among ourselves and into the world at large.

 

The entire range of Greek life, whether religiously, politically, culturally, or simply among friends is set out by the “Theological lexicon of the New Testament”:

 

“In contemporary usage, especially in the inscriptions, ektenēs and ektenōs refer to a constant concern to be of service, exacting and untiring zeal, urgent affection, and even lavish gift-giving; (Citizens of the town of Elaia act with consideration toward King Attalus III, given the benefits that they have received from him, ὅπως ἐπὶ τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἀγαθοῖς τῷ βασιλεῖ ἐκτενεῖς οἱ πολῖται φαίνωνται (I.Perg., 246, 4); “who has continually given numerous and great proofs of his devotion toward us and our concerns” (letter of Antiochus III, in IGLS, n. 992, 4). King Seleucus, praising his “honored friend” Aristolochus, emphasizes that “he often worked with all possible good will in the service of my father, my brother, and myself, and, in the most critical circumstances, constantly gave tokens of his interest in the affairs of the kingdom” (M. Holleaux, Etudes d’épigraphie, vol. 3, pp. 199ff.).”

 

This Greek concept also indicates things that would be attributed today to “fervent love” (cf. Rom 12:11). There we read beginning at verse 9 and reading through verse 11:  

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit.

 

“As part of the official vocabulary of chancelleries, ekteneia, ektenōs, and ektenēs are in copious supply in honorific decrees, where they enjoy a privileged association with prothymia, prothymos, prothymōs, as Hesychius and the Suda note. In Thrace: “I have a fervent desire to benefit everyone” (prothymian gar ektenestatēn echō tou poiein eu pantas, I.Thas. 186, 10). A decree from Lampsacus sends to the magistrates of Thasos the list of honors conferred upon Dionysodoros, who “shows himself full of ardor and zeal for the interests of the people” (ektenē kai prothymon heauton eis ta tou dēmou paraskeuazei pragmata, ibid., 171; “he showed himself full of ardor and zeal for all” (pasi ektenē kai prothymon auton pareicheto).

 

Around 188, the Milesians honor the physician Apollonios, “he showed himself ektenēs and prothymos likewise according to his art,” (ektenē kai prothymon homoiōs heauton pareicheto kata te tēn technēn, Dittenberger, Syl. 620, 8, 13); the Erythreans fête their praetors, “they proved themselves ektenēs and prothymos toward the defense of the city” (ekteneis kai prothymous autous pareschonto pros tēn tēs poleōs phylakēn, ibid. 442, 9; cf. SB 8855, 10). Around 200: “showing himself ektenēs and prothymos in everything” (ektenē kai prothymon em pasi paraskeuazomenos, I.Priene 82, 10–11; cf. ektenē kai prothymon heauton … parechetai, I.Magn., 86, 12 and 20); a decree in honor of Boulagoras, “whereas having been chosen several times by the people as their representative during public proceedings, he was unflagging in his activity and zeal—ektenē kai prothymōs—and he has secured many advantages and profits for the city.” Around 130, an inscription of Pergamum, “so that … now in a manner worthy of godlike honors he became most ektenēs in his zeal” (hopōs … nyn isotheōn ēxiōmenos timōn ektenesteros ginētai tē prothymia).

 

The association of zeal and ardor is similar. Cf. a hydrophore of Artemis: ektenōs kai philoteimōs (I.Did., 375, 8); “fulfilling the duties of hydrophoros in a matter worthy of his race, philoteimōs, and performing the mysteries ektenōs” (plērōsasa de kai tēn hydrophorian axiōs tou genous philoteimōs kai ta men mystēria ektenōs telesasa, ibid. 381, 8). A decree of the Athenian association of soteriasts (worshipers of Artemis Soteira) sets out to reward a certain Diodorus: “the synod having received his ekteneia and philotimia.” The council and people of Sardis honor a priestess Claudia Polla Quintilla, who on the one hand had served the god and the community in an orderly and zealous fashion (kosmiōs, philoteimōs) and on the other hand had generously (or constantly) funded public sacrifices out of her own pocket. In 218 bc, a letter-decree from the kosmoi (rulers) and city of Gortyn expresses the gratitude of the city to the physician Hermias of Cos, who for five years worked for “citizens and all inhabitants with zeal and constancy—philotimiōs and ekteniōs—in everything pertaining to his profession and all other cares.”

 

From these usages it emerges that ekteneia in the nt is intensity without negligence or failing, whether in prayer or brotherly love. It would not seem that the accent falls on duration or persistence; it is rather fervor, authenticity, magnanimity, a certain lavishness of feeling that characterize Christian agapē, eager and generous. To better situate 1 Peter 1:22 and 4:8, we should note that in literary texts ektenōs, often in conjunction with philophronōs and ektenēs, often modifies friendship. In fact, hoi ektenestatoi is used for the most fervent friends (Polybius 21.22.4). In 182 bc, Eumenes II invites the city of Cos to celebrate games in honor of Athena Nikephora, “with all those who are most ektenēs to us among the Greeks.” Arcesilas informs his friend Thaumasis that he has drawn up a will in his favor, so greatly has the latter proven his zeal toward him (ton eis em’ ektenōs houtō pephilotimēmenon, Diogenes Laertius 4.6.44). Attalus II, writing around 160 to Attis, priest of the temple of Cybele at Pessinus, declares “Menodorus, whom you sent to me, gave me your fervent and friendly letter.” Arbaces “eagerly forged close relations with the leaders of troops from various nations and succeeded in gaining their friendship” (Diodorus Siculus 2.24.3).

But St. Peter’s vision of such generous and constant brotherly love is only possible as a function of the divine rebirth of the children of God. They share in a divine love and give expression to its spontaneity and fervor.”

 

The Greek φιλαδελφίαν (Philadelphian) – “brotherly love, loyalty, etc. is powerful here, as H. R. Balz demonstrates:

 

“The noun occurs 6 times in the NT, the adjective once (1 Pet 3:8). A significant shift in meaning has occurred over against secular Greek. In the latter the word group always refers to “love of one’s brother [or sibling].” In contrast, the NT uses the terms only figuratively to refer (as → ἀδελφός  also frequently does) to brotherly love between Christians united through their common status as children of God (cf. Rom 8:29; Heb 12:5ff.). Only 2 Macc 15:14, where φιλάδελφος refers to “loving those belonging to one’s own people,” attests a non-Christian figurative use of this word group.

In the New Testament φιλαδελφία always appears within the framework of parenesis (1 Pet 3:8; 2 Pet 1:7 bis) in catalogs of virtues. Rom 12:9f. and 2 Pet 1:7 attest it as a particular realization of ἀγάπη. Rom 12:10, 1 Thess 4:9, and 1 Pet 1:22 all draw attention to its special reference regarding one’s fellow Christians: they should love one another (ἀλλήλους). 1 Thess 4:9 characterizes φιλαδελφία as something taught by God (which is probably a biblicism;). It expresses itself in sincere goodwill of the sort family members show to one another (φιλόστοργος) and recognizes no conflicts of rank; it lacks all hypocrisy, it endures (1 Pet 1:22), and it is hospitable (Heb 13:1). N. Brox emphasizes quite justifiably that during times of persecution this kind of brotherliness was highly valued and must have strengthened “the perseverance of Christians.” {Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990-c1993). Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament (3:424). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans.]

 

The Freemason ideals of brotherhood, a conscientious effort to better ourselves, our friends, and families through good living, the involvement with our communities and in the world jives very well with the ancient milieu of which one of our volumes of "The Sacred Law" has come from.